The lights dim and spies climb on the runway to gather in front of a dark screen. A hooded figure flickers to life on a video screen and, with a disguised voice, tells the agents to find the secret to Harker’s success. And the countdown begins …

The homage to “Mission: Impossible” set the tone for this year’s fashion show, Mission: Possible – Dare to Try, Harker’s 10th annual fundraising spectacular. The visionary behind the show was Laura Lang-Ree, performing arts chair K-12, who, with parent chair John Keller and producer Beverly Zeiss, created a plotline that ran throughout the show: could undercover agents find the secret to why Harker students had so much fun, did so well and enjoyed school so much?

Student, parent and staff models took to the runway in clothes from several generous fashion partners, and occasionally a secret agent would pop up to try to infiltrate. Dance Fusion, Varsity Dance Troupe, Downbeat, Showstoppers and High Voltage performed dance numbers throughout the show; and in a spectacular finale, live instrumentalists graced the fashion show for the first time as a chamber ensemble and the Grade 5 Choir joined Downbeat to perform while senior models showed off formal evening wear.

By the time Chris Nikoloff was revealed as the agent in disguise, the audience had enjoyed a live auction, a lobby casino and another phenomenal Harker event.

See the TalonWP website for the student journalists’ writeup of the show.